Best Syndication - Heart and Lung

(Best Syndication New) - Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, found an increased risk for kidney failure in people who have atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease. In general, kidney function can fail over time with the chronic condition which can lead to dialysis treatments or a kidney transplant. Kidney problems are more likely to worsen in atrial fibrillation patients who already have kidney function impairment. The study results were published in the journal Circulation.

Irregular heart rhythm is a very common type of atrial fibrillation. Patients who have atrial fibrillation along with chronic kidney disease or end stage-renal disease (ESRD) are at an increased risk for suffering from a stroke or death. The researchers wanted to understand why atrial fibrillation patients with kidney disease are more likely to have end-stage renal disease compared to those with chronic kidney disease only.

(Best Syndication News) - Researchers found that men who took beta-blockers for treating high blood pressure were less likely to have brain shrinkage and other anomalies that could signal Alzheimer’s disease or other kinds of dementia.

The Honolulu-Asia Aging Study involved 774 elderly Japanese-American men. After the men died, autopsies were conducted. Six-hundred-ten out of 774 men had high blood pressure or were being treated with high blood pressure medication.

Less than half, around 350, of the men had been taking blood pressure medication; 15 percent took only beta blocker medication, 18 percent took beta blockers with one or more other hypertensive medications, and the remaining took another type of blood pressure medication with no beta blockers.

(Best Syndication News) - Researchers from the University of Copenhagen found that low levels of coenzyme Q10 and glucose intolerance might be factors that contribute to muscle pain symptoms with people taking statins to lower LDL cholesterol levels. The findings were reported in the Journal of American College of Cardiology.

Around 75 percent of people who take statins could complain of having muscle pain, explained Professor Flemming Dela from the Center for Healthy Aging at the University of Copenhagen. This research demonstrates that statins affect the muscle’s ability to produce energy.

(Best Syndication News) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted approval of Eliquis (apixaban) tablets for people who have atrial fibrillation that is not related to a heart-valve problem. The medication would be used as a way to reduce the risk of stroke by preventing blood clots from forming.

Atrial fibrillation causes the heart to beat irregularly and rapidly. The two upper chambers of the heart do not squeeze correctly to insure proper blood flow. This inadequate pumping can cause blood clots to form. The risk of a stroke occurs when the blood clot breaks free and prevents blood flow to parts of the brain. Additionally, the blood clot could break free and travel to other parts of the body, such as the lungs or legs.

(Best Syndication News) Panic attacks can come on suddenly and peak usually within ten minutes – but can last even longer. The Mayo Clinic reports that these attacks could be triggered by something that is not dangerous but can be frightening and cause the sufferer to think they are losing control or even having a heart attack.

Most people may suffer two panic attacks in their lifetime, but frequent attacks can affect the quality of life. Small stressful situations could cause recurrent and unexpected attacks.

The panic attacks can release a sudden wave of adrenalin. This can increase heart rate.

(Best Syndication News) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Juxtapid (lomitapide) to treat a rare homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) disorder. Juxtapid should lower the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, the total cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and non-high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL) cholesterol. The drug should be prescribed in conjunction with a low fat diet and other lipid reduction treatments.

In the United States, around one in one million people have HoFH. People with the rare condition do not effectively remove “bad” LDL cholesterol from their body. This puts HoFH individuals at an increased risk for heart attacks and death, often before the age of 30.

(Best Syndication News) - Women who smoke moderately are at a significantly higher risk than non-smokers to succumb to sudden cardiac death, according to a new study. The researchers reported their findings in the American Heart Association Journal, Circulation: Arrhythmia & Electrophysiology.

The risk factor for sudden cardiac death may even be higher in women who have smoked for a long time. However, over time, the risk factor could be reduced or eliminated by quitting the habit.

The study’s lead author, Roopinder K. Sandhu, M.D., M.P.H., a cardiac electrophysiologist at the University of Alberta's Mazankowski Heart Institute in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, said that previous research has identified the risk for sudden cardiac death. In this new research, they wanted to determine the risk factor based on the quantity and duration of smoking. Sandhu and colleagues wanted to compare the risk factor to healthy women.

(Best Syndication News) - Eating a heart-healthy diet after having a heart attack or stroke can help prevent future events, according to a new study published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation.

Study author, Mahshid Dehghan, Ph.D, a nutritionist at the Population Health Research Institute, McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, said that if patients rely on medicine to lower their blood pressure and cholesterol, they may not think eating a heart-healthy diet is very important. The study found that dietary changes offer additional benefits to patients taking aspirin, angiotensin modulators, cholesterol lower medications, and beta-blockers.

(Best Syndication News) - A large group of international scientists, including scientists from Standford University School of Medicine, has identified 15 new genetic areas that are related to coronary artery disease. With these new findings, there are now 46 genetic links related to heart disease. The research findings will be published in the December 2 online edition of Nature Genetics.

Coronary atherosclerosis, another name for plaque build-up in the artery wall of the heart vessels, is a condition that can cause a person to suffer chest pain or a heart attack. According the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, heart disease ranks as the leading cause of death in the United States.

(Best Syndication News) - Ranbaxy Inc. announced a voluntary recall of 41 lots of Atorvastatin Calcium Tablets (generic version of Lipitor) because small glass particles may be included with the medication. The particles could be the size of a grain of sand or even smaller.

The dosages of Atorvastatin, a cholesterol lowering medication, involved in the recall are 10 mg, 20 mg, and 40 mg. The 80 mg dose of the medication is not involved in the recall. The recall was announced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as well as on the company’s website.

Out of extreme precaution, Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited (NSE:RANBAXY)is recalling the product. They said that the likelihood of having an adverse reaction is unlikely, but it cannot be ruled out entirely. So far, Ranbaxy has not received any reports of problems associated with the glass. Ranbaxy has contacted distributors and retailers (pharmacies) to stop delivery. Customers are being asked to return the pills to their pharmacy.

(Best Syndication News) - A newly released survey of COPD rates was released by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). The rates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were nationally estimated as well as with surveys conducted in 21 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

The surveys included information about the COPD patients’ quality of life and healthcare resources available to them. The newly released 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey was conducted using phone calls throughout the United States. The BRFSS survey contacts people randomly via landline or mobile phones.

(Best Syndication News) - Get moving and counting at least 6,000 steps daily may improve the health outcome for women in midlife. A study found that increasing activity decreased the risk for diabetes and metabolic syndrome. The researchers will be publishing their findings in the journal of the North American Menopause Society, Menopause.

While walking is the most obvious way to get 6,000 steps, it need not be from that activity. There were 292 women between 45 and 72 years old participating in the study. They wore pedometers that counted the number of steps they took each day. The participants were also measured for cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and waist and hip circumference. The researchers categorized the women who took over 6,000 steps as being active; those who stepped less were considered inactive.

(Best Syndication News) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the HeartWare Ventricular Assist System. The device helps pump blood and is to be used for end-stage heart failure patients that are waiting for a heart transplant.

The left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is used to improve the heart’s left ventricle ability to pump oxygen-rich blood to the body. With the HeartWare system, there is an implanted pump along with an external driver and power supply. The patient receiving the HeartWare device will be able to use it inside and outside of the hospital.

(Best Syndication News) - Being unemployed can increase the risk for having an acute myocardial infarction, which is commonly known as a heart attack. The risk is increased if the person is unemployed, suffered multiple job losses, and has short times without work. The study results were published in the JAMA Network publication, Online First by Archives of Internal Medicine.

The stress of losing a job is evident for many adults in the United States. The researchers wanted to see if there was a relationship between job loss and an increased risk for heart attacks.

(Best Syndication News) - New research found that African Americans diagnosed with heart disease had a 48 percent reduced risk for suffering from a heart attack, stroke, or dying from all causes, if they did Transcendental Meditation instead of just attending a health education class. The researchers published their findings in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

Two hundred and one people participated in the study over a five-year period. The group consisted of 42 percent women over the age of 59 with an income of less than $10,000 per year. The average body mass index (BMI) was 32, which is considered obese.

(Best Syndication News) - Researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute found that 75 percent of the patients taking blood thinners were not given the correct dosage. The study investigated 521 patients taking clopidogrel (Plavix) and prasugrel (Effient) and found that many had dosage amounts that were not effective. The study results were presented today at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2012 in Los Angeles.

The wrong dosage could be serious either way. Too much medication could cause uncontrolled bleeding, while too little medication puts the patient at an increased risk for developing blood clots. Blood thinning medication is often used as a way to prevent blood clots from forming. These clots can cause strokes and heart attacks.

(Best Syndication News) - Researchers created an experimental device that could collect energy from heartbeats to help power pacemakers. The early study suggests that the technology holds promise and can improve the way pacemakers work. The study was presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2012.

Pacemakers, and possibly other devices such as implantable defibrillators, could take advantage of piezoelectricity technology as a power source. The energy charge is created from motion.

The findings suggest that patients could power their pacemakers — eliminating the need for replacements when batteries are spent. M. Amin Karami, Ph.D., lead author of the study and research fellow in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, said that these implantable devices require very little power to work.

(Best Syndication News) - A research study from the University of Copenhagen and Herleve Hospital found that more Danes than previously thought have hereditary high blood cholesterol, and the condition is not being treated optimally. The study results were published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Dr Børge Nordestgaard, clinical professor at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences and senior physician at Herlev Hospital, said of the 69,000 Danes investigated, they found that 1 out of 137 people in Denmark had hereditary high blood cholesterol.

(Best Syndication News) - Exercising in the water has just as much aerobic benefit as working-out on land, suggests a new study. The researchers found pedaling an exercise bike in a swimming pool had a similar aerobic effect to a typical stationary bike workout. The study was presented today at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress.

The immersible ergocycle, which is a stationary exercise bike that can be put in a swimming pool, was studied. Many people might assume that moving in water is not as difficult as moving on land. The researchers compared land and water bicycling workouts for effectiveness.

Healthy participants perform exercise tests in the water and on land. The water level was up to their chest level. The intensity of the workout was increased every minute until the riders were exhausted. The researchers found that the land-workout was almost the same when they compared the maximal oxygen consumption rates.

(Best Syndication News) - A study on healthy middle-aged women found no benefit gained by taking resveratrol supplements, a compound found in red wine. The study was reported in the October 25 online edition of Cell Metabolism.

Previous research had suggested that resveratrol in red wine could help reduce heart disease risk and increase lifespan. People have been taking resveratrol in hopes of better health. The U.S. resveratrol supplement business has grown into a $30 million a year industry. People take supplements because they would have to drink large amounts of red wine to gain the benefit – at least that was the conventional wisdom. Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis wanted to see if taking resveratrol supplements was beneficial to otherwise healthy women.